Leopold Witte (9 June 1836, in

Halle an der Saale Halle (Saale), or simply Halle (; from the 15th to the 17th century: ''Hall in Sachsen''; until the beginning of the 20th century: ''Halle an der Saale'' ; from 1965 to 1995: ''Halle/Saale'') is the largest city of the German state of Saxony-Anh ...

– 2 December 1921) was a German Protestant

theologian Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...

and educator. He was the son of

Dante Dante Alighieri (; – 14 September 1321), probably baptized Durante di Alighiero degli Alighieri and often referred to as Dante (, ), was an Italian people, Italian Italian poetry, poet, writer and philosopher. His ''Divine Comedy'', origin ...

scholar

Karl Witte Johann Heinrich Friedrich Karl Witte (July 1, 1800 in Lochau (now part of Schkopau) – March 6, 1883 in Halle (Saale), Halle) was a German jurist and scholar of Dante Alighieri. Biography Karl Witte was the son of pastor Karl Heinrich Gottfried ...

(1800–1883). From 1853 to 1857 he studied Protestant theology at the universities of Halle and

Heidelberg Heidelberg (; Palatine German language, Palatine German: ''Heidlberg'') is a city in the States of Germany, German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the river Neckar in south-west Germany. As of the 2016 census, its population was 159,914 ...

, and afterwards worked as a tutor at the Prussian Embassy in

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

. In 1861 he was ordained as a minister in

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and List of cities in Germany by population, largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's List of cities in the European Union by population within ci ...

, and he subsequently served as a pastor in the town of Cöthen, near

Eberswalde Eberswalde () is a major town and the administrative seat of the district Barnim in the German State ( Bundesland / ''federated state'') of Brandenburg, about 50 km northeast of Berlin. Population 42,144 (census in June 2005), geographi ...

. From 1873 to 1879 he lived in the United States, and following his return to Germany, served as a professor and superintendent at

Schulpforta Pforta, or Schulpforta, is a school located in Pforta monastery, a former Cistercian monastery (1137–1540), near Naumburg on the Saale River in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. The site has been a school since the 16th century. Notable past ...

(1879–1900). In 1888 he received an honorary doctorate in theology from the

University of Greifswald The University of Greifswald (; german: Universität Greifswald), formerly also known as “Ernst-Moritz-Arndt University of Greifswald“, is a public research university located in Greifswald, Germany, in the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pom ...

Published works

He was the author of a well-received biography on theologian

August Tholuck Friedrich August Gottreu Tholuck (30 March 1799 – 10 June 1877), known as August Tholuck, was a German Protestant theologian, pastor, and historian, and church leader. Biography Tholuck was born at Breslau, and educated at the gymnasium and ...

, titled ''Das Leben d. Friedrich August Gottreu Tholuck's'', (2 volumes, 1884–86). His treatise on humanist

Pietro Carnesecchi Pietro Carnesecchi (24 December 1508 – 1 October 1567) was an Italian humanist. Biography Born in Florence, he was the son of a da Andrea Carnesecchi, a merchant who under the patronage of the Medici, and especially of Giulio de' Medici a ...

and the Italian Inquisition, ''Pietro Carnesecchi : ein Bild aus der italienischen Märtyrergeschichte'' (1883), was translated into English and published as
''A glance at the Italian Inquisition: a sketch of Pietro Carnesecchi: his trial before the supreme court of the papal inquisition in Rome, and his martyrdom in 1566''
(John Thomas Betts, 1885). His other principal works include: * ''Friedrich der Grosse und die Jesuiten'', 1892 –

Frederick the Great Frederick II (german: Friedrich II.; 24 January 171217 August 1786) was King in Prussia from 1740 until 1772, and King of Prussia from 1772 until his death in 1786. His most significant accomplishments include his military successes in the S ...

and the

Jesuits , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders = ...

. * ''Die erneuerung der Schlosskirche zu Wittenberg : eine that evangelischen Bekenntnisses'', 1894 – The renewal of the

All Saints' Church, Wittenberg All Saints' Church, commonly referred to as ''Schlosskirche'' (Castle Church) to distinguish it from the '' Stadtkirche'' (Town Church) of St. Mary's – and sometimes known as the Reformation Memorial Church – is a Lutheran church in Wittenberg, ...

. * ''Richard Rothe über Jesus als Wundertäter'', 1907 –

Richard Rothe Richard Rothe (28 January 1799 – 20 August 1867) was a German Lutheran theologian. Biography Richard Rothe was born at Posen, then part of Prussia. He studied theology in the universities of Heidelberg and Berlin (1817–20) under Karl Daub, ...

on Jesus as a miracle worker.HathiTrust Digital Library
(published works)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Witte, Leopold 1836 births 1921 deaths People from Halle (Saale) University of Halle alumni Heidelberg University alumni 19th-century German Protestant theologians 20th-century German Protestant theologians 19th-century German educators